Treadmill and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

A treadmill and a control method of the treadmill are provided. The treadmill includes a receiving unit and a processor. In the control method of the treadmill, at first, a communication unit is configured to receive heart rates of a user detected by a detection unit. Thereafter, the processor is configured to perform a running speed control operation to control a running speed of the treadmill in accordance with a predetermined exercise setting and the heart rates of the user, thereby enabling the user to exercise in aerobic state and updating the predetermined exercise setting accordingly.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number104141122, filed Dec. 8, 2015, which is herein incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a treadmill and a control method of thetreadmill.

Description of Related Art

Since people have fewer chances to do outdoor sports activities, atreadmill has become popular indoor fitness equipment. The treadmill isa machine used to simulate the acts of walking and running. Thetreadmill may include a rubber belt driven by a motor to rotate aroundtwo rollers. A user walks or runs on a surface of the rubber belt as therubber belt rotates for the purpose of exercise.

In general, the treadmill allows the user to select a training time anda running speed of the treadmill. However, the user may not understandwhether the training time and the running speed selected can achieve agood exercise result.

SUMMARY

One object of the present invention is to provide a treadmill and acontrol method of a treadmill to enable a user to exercise in aerobicstate in accordance with a predetermined exercise setting and heart ratevalues of the user, and to update the predetermined exercise settingaccordingly. Therefore, the user can obtain a better exercise result andavoid dangers.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the treadmillincludes a communication unit and a processor. The communication unit isconfigured to receive heart rate information of a user transmitted by adetection unit. The processor is configured to control a running speedof the treadmill in accordance with a predetermined exercise setting andthe heart rate information, thereby enabling the user to exercise inaerobic state and updating the predetermined exercise settingaccordingly.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the treadmillincludes a communication unit and a processor. The communication unit isconfigured to receive heart rate information of a user transmitted by adetection unit. The processor is configured to control a running speedof the treadmill in accordance with a predetermined exercise setting andthe heart rate information, thereby enabling the user to exercise inaerobic state and updating the predetermined exercise settingaccordingly.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, in thecontrol method of the treadmill, at first, heart rate information of auser transmitted by a detection unit through a communication unit isreceived. Then, a running speed control operation is performed by aprocessor to control a running speed of the treadmill in accordance witha predetermined exercise setting and the heart rate information, therebyenabling the user to exercise in aerobic state and updating thepredetermined exercise setting accordingly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the followingdetailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to theaccompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a treadmill in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is schematic diagram showing the treadmill and a detection unitin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chart of a control methodof a treadmill in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chart of a rest stage ofthe intermittent training mode in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing rest stages and training stages inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chart of a training stageof the intermittent training mode in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chart of a constant-speedtraining mode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a treadmill100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Thetreadmill 100 includes a communication unit 110 and a processor 120. Thecommunication unit 110 is configured to receive heart rate informationtransmitted by a detection unit HD and to transmit the heart rateinformation to the processor 120, as shown in FIG. 2. In the presentembodiment, the detection unit HD is a heart rate belt or a heart ratebracelet, and the communication unit 110 wirelessly receives the heartrate information (for example, heart rate values) detected by thedetection unit HD. However, embodiments of the present invention are notlimited thereto. The processor 120 is electrically connected to thecommunication unit 110 and a driving device (not shown) of the treadmill100 to control the running speed of the treadmill 100 in accordance withthe heart rate information of the user and a predetermined exercisesetting of the user, thereby enabling the user to exercise in aerobicstate and updating the predetermined exercise setting accordingly.

In this embodiment, the aerobic state is defined as a heart rate in arange of 60%-80% of a maximum heart rate of the user. In other words,the processor 120 of this embodiment can control the running speed ofthe treadmill 100 to enable the heart rate of the user to be in a rangeof 60%-80% of a maximum heart rate of the user for obtaining a betterexercise effect. In other embodiments of the present invention, the usercan adjust the value of the heart rate corresponding to the aerobicstate in accordance with actual demands.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chartof a control method 300 of a treadmill in accordance with embodiments ofthe present invention. In the control method 300, at first, a step 310is performed to read out a predetermined exercise setting, for example arunning speed of the treadmill. In this embodiment, a user may inputpersonal identification data to the treadmill 100, and then thetreadmill 100 can read out the predetermined exercise setting of theuser in accordance with the personal identification data. For example,the predetermined exercise setting may be stored in the treadmill 100 inadvance to help the treadmill 100 to read out the predetermined exercisesetting. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limitedthereto. In some embodiments, the predetermined exercise setting can bestored in a cloud device, and the treadmill 100 can access thepredetermined exercise setting through the communication unit 110 and aninternet. In other embodiments, the user can input the predeterminedexercise setting into the treadmill 100 in accordance with actualdemands.

Then, a step 320 is performed to use the communication unit 110 toreceive the heart rate information transmitted by the detection unit HD.In an embodiment of the present invention, the heart rate informationincludes heart rate values of the user, and the heart rate value isdefined as a number of heart beats per minute. However, embodiments ofthe present invention are not limited thereto.

Thereafter, a step 330 is performed to use the processor 120 to performa control operation to control running speed of the treadmill 100 inaccordance with the predetermined exercise setting and the heart rateinformation. In the embodiment of the present invention, the controloperation of the step 330 controls the running speed of the treadmill100 in accordance with the heart rate information and the predeterminedexercise setting of the user, thereby enabling the user to exercise inaerobic state and updating the predetermined exercise settingaccordingly. Therefore, when the user completes a running training, thepredetermined exercise setting of the user is updated for the next timewhen the user uses the treadmill 100 again to enable the user to obtaina better exercise effect. The running speed control operation in theembodiments of the present invention includes an intermittent trainingmode and a constant-speed training mode. The user can choose one of theintermittent training mode and the constant-speed training mode toexercise in accordance with actual demands. The intermittent trainingmode and the constant-speed training mode are respectively introduced asbelow.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chartof a rest stage of the intermittent training mode in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the runningspeed control operation provides the intermittent training mode for theuser. The intermittent training mode includes rest stages 410 andtraining stages 420 which are interlaced to each other, as shown in FIG.5. In this embodiment, a period from a time point t0 to a time point t10defines a running training. The running training includes five trainingsets Tset, and each of the training sets Tset includes one rest stage410 and one training stage 420. The training stage 420 provides a higherrunning speed, and the rest stage 410 provides a lower running speed.

In the running speed control operation in this embodiment, at first, therest stage 410 is performed. In the rest stage 410, at first, a step 411is performed to receive a heart rate value of the user. Thereafter, astep 412 is performed to determine if the heart rate value is smallerthan a predetermined lower limit value of heart rate. In thisembodiment, the predetermined lower limit value of heart rate is definedto be 60% of maximum heart rate of the user. Then, a step 413 isperformed when the heart rate value is smaller than the predeterminedlower limit value of heart rate. In the step 413, a count value of lowheart rate is increased by 1. In this embodiment, the processor 120includes a counter module used to store the count value of low heartrate. The count value of low heart rate is increased by 1, when theheart rate value received in the rest stage 410 is smaller than thepredetermined lower limit value of heart rate.

Then, a step 414 is performed to determining if a count value oftraining sets is equal to 1 or equal to a maximum value of training sets(i.e., 5 in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the processor 120includes a counter module used to store the count value of trainingsets. When a new training set Tset is conducted, the count value oftraining sets is increased by 1. For example, the count value oftraining sets is equal to 1 at the time point t1, since the user isconducting a first training set of the five training sets. For anotherexample, the count value of training sets is equal to 3 at the timepoint t5, since the user is conducting a third training set of the fivetraining sets.

Thereafter, a step 415 is performed when the count value of trainingsets is equal to 1 or equal to the maximum value of training sets. Inthe step 415, it is determined that if a time period of the rest stage(hereinafter referred to as rest period) is ended. When the rest periodis ended, a step 416 is performed to conduct the training stage 420. Inthis embodiment, the processor 120 includes a timing module used tocalculate training time to help the running speed control operation.

Returning to step 414, a step 417 is performed when the count value oftraining sets is not equal to 1 and not equal to the maximum value oftraining sets. In the step 417, it is determined that if the count valueof low heart rate is smaller than or equal to a predetermined countthreshold of low heart rate. In this embodiment, the predetermined countthreshold of low heart rate is 2. However, embodiments of the presentinvention are not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the presentinvention, the predetermined count threshold of low heart rate can bedetermined in accordance with actual demands of the user.

Then, a step 418 is performed when the count value of low heart rate issmaller than or equal to a predetermined count threshold of low heartrate. In the step 418, it is determined that if the rest period isended. Thereafter, a step 419 is performed to increase a time length ofthe rest period when the rest period is ended. For example, when theprocessor 120 determines that the rest period is ended at time point t3and the count value of low heart rate is smaller than or equal to thepredetermined count threshold of low heart rate, the processor 120increases the rest period by 1 minute and the predetermined exercisesetting is updated accordingly. Therefore, the time points t3, t5, t7and t9 at which the rest stages 410 are ended are respectively delayedfor 1 minute to provide enough rest time for the user.

Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chartof a training stage 420 of the intermittent training mode in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention. In the training stage 420,at first, a step 421 is performed to receive a heart value of the user.Thereafter, a step 422 is performed to determine if the heart rate valueis greater than a predetermined upper limit value of heart rate. In thisembodiment, the predetermined upper limit value of heart rate is definedto be 80% of maximum heart rate of the user. Then, a step 423 isperformed to increase a count value of high heart rate by 1, when theheart rate value is greater than the predetermined upper limit value ofheart rate. In this embodiment, the processor 120 includes a countermodule used to store the count value of high heart rate. The count valueof high heart rate is increased by 1, when the heart rate value receivedin the training stage 420 is greater than the predetermined upper limitvalue of heart rate.

Then, a step 424 is performed to determine if the count value oftraining sets is equal to 1. Thereafter, a step 425 is performed todetermine if a time period of the training stage 420 (hereinafterreferred to as training period) is ended when the count value oftraining sets is equal to 1. Then, a step 426 is performed to conductthe rest stage 410 when the training period is ended. Returning to thestep 424, a step 427 is performed when the count value of training setsis not equal to 1. In the step 427, it is determined that if the countvalue of high heart rate is greater than a predetermined count thresholdof high heart rate, in which the predetermined count threshold of highheart rate is greater than the count threshold of low heart rate. Inthis embodiment, the predetermined count threshold of high heart rate is3, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. Inother embodiments of the present invention, the predetermined countthreshold of high heart rate can be determined in accordance with actualdemands of the user.

Then, a step 428 is performed to determine if the training period isended, when the count value of high heart rate is greater than thepredetermined count threshold of high heart rate. When the trainingperiod is ended, a step 429 a is performed to increase the running speedof the treadmill in the training stage 420 and to update thepredetermined exercise setting accordingly, and the rest stage 410 isperformed. When the training period is not ended, a step 429 b isperformed to decrease the running speed of the treadmill in the trainingstage 420 and to update the predetermined exercise setting accordingly.In this embodiment, the step 429 a increases the running speed of thetreadmill by 5%-10%, and the step 429 b decreases the running speed ofthe treadmill by 5%-10%. However, embodiments of the present inventionare not limited thereto.

It can be understood that the intermittent training mode provided by thecontrol method of the treadmill of the embodiments of the presentinvention can adjust the rest time and the running speed, therebyenabling the user to exercise in aerobic state, and avoiding dangers. Inaddition, when the rest time and the running speed are adjusted, thepredetermined exercise setting of the user is updated simultaneously.Therefore, the user can obtain a better exercise result in theintermittent training mode when excising next time.

Referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chartof a constant-speed training mode 700 in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention. In the constant-speed training mode 700, atfirst, a step 710 is performed to receive a heart rate value of theuser. Thereafter, steps 720 and 730 are performed respectively todetermine if the heart rate value is smaller than a predetermined lowerlimit value of heart rate, and to determine if the heart rate value isgreater than a predetermined upper limit value of heart rate. In thisembodiment, the predetermined lower limit value of heart rate is definedto be 60% of maximum heart rate of the user, and the predetermined upperlimit value of heart rate is defined to be 80% of maximum heart rate ofthe user.

Regarding the step 720, a step 722 is performed to increase a countvalue of low heart rate by 1, when the heart rate value is smaller thanthe predetermined lower limit value of heart rate. Then, a step 724 isperformed to determine if the increased count value of low heart rate isgreater than or equal to a predetermined verification value of speed-up.In this embodiment, the predetermined verification value of speed-up is5, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.Thereafter, a step 726 is performed when the increased count value oflow heart rate is greater than or equal to the predeterminedverification value of speed-up. In the step 726, it is determined thatif the period of the constant-speed training mode 700 is ended. Then, astep 728 is performed to increase the running speed of the treadmill andto update the predetermined exercise setting accordingly, when theperiod of the constant-speed training mode 700 is not ended. Therefore,when the user chooses the constant-speed training mode 700 to exerciseagain, the treadmill can provide a higher running speed in accordancewith the updated exercise setting. In this embodiment, the step 728increases the running speed of the treadmill by 5%-10%, but embodimentsof the present invention are not limited thereto.

Regarding the step 730, a step 732 is performed to increase a countvalue of high heart rate by 1, when the heart rate value is greater thanthe predetermined upper limit value of heart rate. Then, a step 734 isperformed to determining if the increased count value of high heart rateis greater than or equal to a predetermined verification value ofspeed-down. In this embodiment, the predetermined verification value ofspeed-down is 5, but embodiments of the present invention are notlimited thereto. Then, a step 736 is performed when the increased countvalue of high heart rate is greater than or equal to the predeterminedverification value of speed-down. In the step 736, it is determined thatif the period of the constant-speed training mode 700 is ended.Thereafter, a step 738 is performed to decrease the running speed of thetreadmill and to update the predetermined exercise setting accordingly,when the period of the constant-speed training mode 700 is not ended.Therefore, when the user chooses the constant-speed training mode 700 toexercise again, the treadmill can provide a lower running speed inaccordance with the updated exercise setting. In this embodiment, thestep 738 decreases the running speed of the treadmill by 5%-10%, butembodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. In someembodiments, the steps 726 and 736 may be omitted.

It can be understood that the constant-speed training mode provided bythe control method of the treadmill of the embodiments of the presentinvention can update the predetermined exercise setting in accordancewith the heart rate value of the user. When the user exercises in theconstant-speed training mode again, the updated the predeterminedexercise setting can enable the user to exercise in aerobic state and toavoid dangers.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the flow of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A treadmill, comprising: a communication unitconfigured to receive heart rate information of a user transmitted by adetection unit; and a processor configured to control a running speed ofthe treadmill in accordance with a predetermined exercise setting andthe heart rate information, thereby enabling the user to exercise inaerobic state and updating the predetermined exercise settingaccordingly.
 2. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the heart rateinformation comprises a first heart rate value and a second heart ratevalue, and the processor is configured to perform an intermittenttraining program, and the intermittent training program comprises:performing a rest stage to enable the treadmill to work at apredetermined low running speed in a rest period, the rest stagecomprising: receiving the first heart rate value of the user;determining if the first heart rate value is smaller than apredetermined lower limit value of heart rate; increasing a count valueof low heart rate by 1 when the first heart rate value is smaller thanthe predetermined lower limit value of heart rate; determining if acount value of training sets is equal to 1 or equal to a maximum valueof training sets; and determining if the rest period is ended when thecount value of training sets is equal to 1 or equal to the maximum valueof training sets; and performing a training stage to enable thetreadmill to work at a predetermined high running speed in a trainingperiod when the rest period is ended, wherein the predetermined highrunning speed is greater than the predetermined low running speed, andthe training stage comprises: receiving the second heart rate value ofthe user; determining if the second heart rate value is greater than apredetermined upper limit value of heart rate; increasing a count valueof high heart rate by 1 when the second heart rate value is greater thanthe predetermined upper limit value of heart rate; determining if thecount value of high heart rate is greater than a predetermined countthreshold of high heart rate; determining if the training period isended when the count value of high heart rate is greater than thepredetermined count threshold of high heart rate; and increasing a valueof the predetermined high running speed and performing the rest stagewhen the training period is ended.
 3. The treadmill of claim 2, whereinthe rest stage further comprises: determining if the count value of lowheart rate is smaller than or equal to a predetermined count thresholdof low heart rate when the count value of training sets is not equal to1 and not equal to the maximum value of training sets; determining ifthe rest period is ended when the count value of low heart rate issmaller than or equal to the predetermined count threshold of low heartrate; and increasing a time length of the rest period when the restperiod is ended.
 4. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the heart rateinformation comprises a plurality of heart rate values, and theprocessor is configured to perform a constant-speed training program tocontrol the treadmill to work at a predetermined running speed, and theconstant-speed training program comprises: receiving one of the heartrate values of the user; determining if the one of the heart rate valuesis smaller than a predetermined lower limit value of heart rate, orgreater than a predetermined upper limit value of heart rate; increasinga count value of low heart rate by 1, when the one of the heart ratevalues is smaller than the predetermined lower limit value of heartrate; determining if the increased count value of low heart rate isgreater than or equal to a predetermined verification value of speed-up;and increasing the predetermined running speed, when the increased countvalue of low heart rate is greater than or equal to the predeterminedverification value of speed-up.
 5. The treadmill of claim 4, wherein theconstant-speed training program further comprises: increasing a countvalue of high heart rate by 1 when the one of the heart rate values isgreater than the predetermined upper limit value of heart rate;determining if the increased count value of high heart rate is greaterthan or equal to a predetermined verification value of speed-down; anddecreasing the value of the predetermined running speed when theincreased count value of high heart rate is greater than or equal to thepredetermined verification value of speed-down.
 6. A control method of atreadmill, comprising: receiving heart rate information of a usertransmitted by a detection unit through a communication unit; andperforming a running speed control operation by a processor to control arunning speed of the treadmill in accordance with a predeterminedexercise setting and the heart rate information, thereby enabling theuser to exercise in aerobic state and updating the predeterminedexercise setting accordingly.
 7. The control method of claim 6, whereinthe heart rate information comprises a first heart rate value and asecond heart rate value, and the running speed control operation speedcomprises: performing a rest stage to enable the treadmill to work at apredetermined low running speed in a rest period, the rest stagecomprising: receiving the first heart rate value of the user;determining if the first heart rate value is smaller than apredetermined lower limit value of heart rate; increasing a count valueof low heart rate by 1 when the first heart rate value is smaller thanthe predetermined lower limit value of heart rate; determining if acount value of training sets is equal to 1 or equal to a maximum valueof training sets; and determining if the rest period is ended when thecount value of training sets is equal to 1 or equal to the maximum valueof training sets; and performing a training stage to enable thetreadmill to work at a predetermined high running speed in a trainingperiod when the rest period is ended, wherein the predetermined highrunning speed is greater than the predetermined low running speed, andthe training stage comprises: receiving the second heart rate value ofthe user; determining if the second heart rate value is greater than apredetermined upper limit value of heart rate; increasing a count valueof high heart rate by 1 when the second heart rate value is greater thanthe predetermined upper limit value of heart rate; determining if thecount value of high heart rate is greater than a predetermined countthreshold of high heart rate; determining if the training period isended when the count value of high heart rate is greater than apredetermined count threshold of high heart rate; and increasing a valueof the predetermined high running speed and performing the rest stagewhen the training period is ended.
 8. The control method of claim 7,wherein the rest stage further comprises: determining if the count valueof low heart rate is smaller than or equal to a predetermined countthreshold of low heart rate when the count value of training sets is notequal to 1 and not equal to the maximum value of training sets;determining if the rest period is ended when the count value of lowheart rate is smaller than or equal to a predetermined count thresholdof low heart rate; and increasing a time length of the rest period whenthe rest period is ended.
 9. The control method of claim 6, wherein theheart rate information comprises a plurality of heart rate values, andthe running speed control operation comprises: receiving one of theheart rate values of the user; determining if the one of the heart ratevalues is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value of heart rate,or greater than a predetermined upper limit value of heart rate;increasing a count value of low heart rate by 1, when the one of theheart rate values is smaller than the predetermined lower limit value ofheart rate; determining if the increased count value of low heart rateis greater than or equal to a predetermined verification value ofspeed-up; and increasing the running speed of the treadmill, when theincreased count value of low heart rate is greater than or equal to thepredetermined verification value of speed-up.
 10. The control method ofclaim 9, wherein the running speed control operation further comprises:increasing a count value of high heart rate by 1 when the one of theheart rate values is greater than the predetermined upper limit value ofheart rate; determining if the increased count value of high heart rateis greater than or equal to a predetermined verification value ofspeed-down; and decreasing the value of the running speed of thetreadmill when the increased count value of high heart rate is greaterthan or equal to the predetermined verification value of speed-down.